Academics and administrators are set to benefit from a new research costing tool for research grant applications.
X5, the new full economic cost and pricing tool for research grant applications, has been launched across the University, replacing the pFACT system, which reverts to read-only access on 1 August. It is an essential tool for the research community, allowing users to manage complex costings and provide accurate pricing for research grants.
Intuitive and simple to use, X5 allows greater visibility of costings for principal investigators, departmental administrators and staff working in the Research Operations Office. A personal dashboard provides easy access to any costings a user may be involved with, and allows different versions of the same costing to be produced so that key data can be interrogated thoroughly before final submission.
A feature of the X5 project has been its collaborative partnership between the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and commercial supplier Unit4/Agresso, with the cost being shared by all three.
A key benefit of this partnership has been the development of a sustainable support structure for the system: not only has X5 been developed with key requirements of both universities in mind, but the user group responsible for its progression is led by representatives from both Cambridge and Oxford, meaning the University has considerable influence over the progression of the system, any future updates, and its relevance and responsiveness to constantly changing research policies and requirements.
A timetable of key milestones is provided in the panel box below. Those preparing applications with a deadline after 31 July 2013 are advised to use X5.